


Through a Hundred Lifetimes

by amaanogawa



Category: Free!
Genre: M/M, Reincarnation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-28
Updated: 2015-02-28
Packaged: 2018-03-15 13:46:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 664
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3449372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amaanogawa/pseuds/amaanogawa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I would like to believe that we are destined, and that every version of us, in every world, in every universe, is somehow meant to be. "</p>
            </blockquote>





	Through a Hundred Lifetimes

The first time I saw him, and I mean, the  _very first time,_ because granted, after you meet someone so many different ways in so many different lifetimes, some meetings begin to get a little muddy. But the very first time, I could never, never forget. It was a peaceful spring day, a soft kind of day, the kind with a breeze that feels like a lover's caress and the kind of day where nothing bad happens, but certainly nothing too exciting either. Looking back, that's the kind of day that suits him the best, I suppose, and it's true, meeting him was not exciting, it was not exhilarating, it felt more like a sense of fulfillment, a feeling of being whole. Like finally, finally, everything was as it should be.

He was sleeping under a sakura tree, peaceful, beautiful, serene. A few pink petals stuck in his hair. Suddenly, he flinched awake, olive eyes cloudy with sleep. He saw me staring at him and blushed, panicking, and that was the moment I fell in love. In love with his eyes, ever so expressive. In love with his cheeks, always rosy. In love with his hair, with his hands, with the very hollows of his bones, with his everything. I threw a lazy smile at him before walking over.

"Odd place for a nap. Yamazaki Sousuke. You?"  
  
"...Tachibana Makoto." He murmured, cheeks still pink. 

And that was it. Plain, beautiful, simple, wonderful. Our first kiss was under that same sakura tree, his cheeks were red for the longest time. People weren't so accepting of two guys together back then (and I mean, way, way, back then), so our relationship was mostly of hushed, fervent whispers and hitched breaths, a feeling of urgency. We didn't have time to take it slow, didn't have time to relish in each other's touch. Thinking back, I wish we had taken it slow. I wish I could have traced my fingertips along every curve of the Tachibana Makoto of that lifetime, my first love. 

The first time I watched him die, it was by the sword of a bandit. Tens of hundreds invaded the village, set fire to houses, slaughtered the people. I was next, and with my dying breath I choked out his name because god damnit, if I was leaving this world I'd die with something beautiful on my tongue.

We met, again, and again, and again. Through a hundred lifetimes, I would always find him. I've lived a hundred different lives as Yamazaki Sousuke, a hundred different families, a hundred different childhoods, a hundred different careers. 

But only just, one great love.

Sometimes he recognized me. Sometimes he didn't. That leads me to think that there have been lifetimes where I didn't recognize him, but those are lost to me. There have been entire lifetimes spent together, until we were old and grey and weathered. There have been lifetimes cut short, accidents and illnesses, and I had to live without him (or perhaps he without me, which hurts more to think about) for long, empty periods of time. Each lifetime, each love, every version of Tachibana Makoto was beautiful. Stars turned to constellations in his eyes, flowers bloomed under his fingertips and song tumbled from his lips with every breath (though I admit, he has never been born a singer, not once). 

I would like to believe that there have been lifetimes where neither of us remembered the other, but we found each other regardless. It's painful to think that there may have been entire lives spent without him in my arms, because what a pointless life that would be. But it's hard to control, after all. Sometimes I remember. Sometimes he does not. 

I would like to believe that we are destined, and that every version of us, in every world, in every universe, is somehow meant to be.

But who really knows? 

\---

_"Yamazaki-kun! Do you remember me? I'm Tachibana, Rin's friend."_

_"Oh...right. Tachibana."_

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed! Just some clarification, the ending is an insinuation that in the Free!verse, when they're swimming is a lifetime where neither of them remember their past reincarnations like Sousuke had been wondering about, but they eventually find each other anyway. (or so my shipper heart wishes.)


End file.
